Really good move by New York FC as they have poached Jason Kreis away from Real Salt Lake to be their first coach.
Kreis is one of the rising stars in the Major League Soccer coaching ranks, and is one of the few that has managed to build a team that combines the best of the South American and USA styles of play. Fans in New York will see a team that likes to get retain possession while maintaining the high energy levels of MLS teams.
It would have been so easy for NYFC to hire a big name European coach, but I really applaud this move by NYCFC director of soccer Claudio Reyna who said this of Kreis:
“Jason is one of the true pioneers of Major League Soccer, and a leader any team would be proud to have at the helm. His skills and experience, together with his commitment to quality football make him the ideal choice to lead New York City FC in its first season and beyond.”
In an example of how closely NYFC and Man City will work together, Kreis will travel to Manchester in January to spend time with Manchester City head coach Manuel Pellegrini and the club’s technical staff to observe
“the club’s approach to coaching, training, and player development, with the goal of applying similar approaches to New York City FC.”
I expect NYFC to quickly become one of the best teams in MLS. The owners have the deep pockets to spend millions on big names DPs, who will be attracted by living in New York. Plus at City, the owners have bought into the philosophy of developing a pipeline of talent via their academy. Expect that to continue in New York, which is one of the most fertile, talent-rich areas of North America.